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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26654629">Beautiful Scars on Critical Veins</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WillowTailBreeze/pseuds/WillowTailBreeze'>WillowTailBreeze</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>One Shots and Random Stuff [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies), Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Everyone Needs A Hug, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Self-Harm, Song Lyrics, Stephen Strange Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, and wanda, except Steve</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:35:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,389</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26654629</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WillowTailBreeze/pseuds/WillowTailBreeze</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Step one, you say we need to talk<br/>He walks, you say sit down, it's just a talk<br/>He smiles politely back at you<br/>You stare politely right on through<br/>Some sort of window to your right<br/>As he goes left, and you stay right<br/>Between the lines of fear and blame<br/>You begin to wonder why you came</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tony Stark &amp; Avengers Team, Tony Stark &amp; Happy Hogan, Tony Stark &amp; James Rhodes, Tony Stark &amp; Pepper Potts, Tony Stark &amp; Peter Parker, Tony Stark &amp; Stephen Strange, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>One Shots and Random Stuff [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1157318</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Beautiful Scars on Critical Veins</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“There used to be six of us… now I’m alone.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rhodey, Pepper, Peter, Happy, Stephen… They were all gone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, not </span>
  <em>
    <span>gone </span>
  </em>
  <span>gone. But they had left, as he had expected they would. Who would even want him? No one. They just happened to have proved his worthlessness.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Step one, you say we need to talk</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He walks, you say sit down, it's just a talk</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He smiles politely back at you</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You stare politely right on through</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Some sort of window to your right</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>As he goes left, and you stay right</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Between the lines of fear and blame</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You begin to wonder why you came</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rhodey had called him into his room that day, telling him to sit down because he wanted to talk. He should have ran like his mind was telling him to, however he sat across from the man.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tony, what’s going on?” Rhodey had questioned, concern heavy in his voice as he tried to convey to the genius just how worried he was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing’s going on, platypus.” He would lie, giving the darker skinned male a smile. Hoping it would be convincing enough.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rhodey would raise an eyebrow, leaning forwards on his bed. “As your friend, I cannot and will not believe you. Something is clearly wrong. What happened?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once again, he would lie through his teeth, a familiar smile on his face. </span>
  <em>
    <span>If he pretended he was okay, he would be okay.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His best friend would sigh heavily and drag a hand down his face. “Tony. Please. Something is wrong and you’re scaring me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had been doing this for weeks… or was it months now? Perhaps years? He honestly had no clue any longer, all he knew was that nobody needed to know. Everything would be better if no one knew.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Whiskey brown eyes tore themselves away from the other male, gazing to a window looking out across the city skyline. “Nothing’s wrong, James. I think you’re overthinking.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rhodey would watch as the brunet would stand and walk out of the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He never used his first name…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Had he just lost his closest friend?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Where did I go wrong?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I lost a friend</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Somewhere along in the bitterness</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And I would have stayed up with you all night</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Had I known how to save a life</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was slipping through their hands like sand.. or was he the one losing them?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rhodey tried to reach out to him more, but he just smiled and brushed it away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Peter would accompany him in his lab, but he had even distanced himself from the kid. He was only his mentor for a short period of time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Happy would try to talk to him, offer him things. He declined each offer, only responding with short answers to the bodyguard turned driver turned head of security.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pepper would try her very best to get through to him, but it just no longer worked. He smiled, nodded, and walked off. Other times it ended in shouting matches between the two. The blonde had never lost her temper so many times in a short period of time with the brunet, it was worrying.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen.. </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh god</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Stephen. He thankfully wasn’t around at the time to see this all unfolding. He had disappeared not long after his experimental surgeries and the brunet lost contact with him. He hadn’t tried reaching out to Christine either. He had just… given up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So who was losing who?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had been pushing them away, locking them out. He had closed himself off and was unlikely to come out of it. It wasn’t like he </span>
  <em>
    <span>deserved </span>
  </em>
  <span>to come out of it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hadn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>they </span>
  </em>
  <span>made that clear?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Let him know that you know best</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Cause after all, you do know best</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Try to slip past his defense</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Without granting innocence</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Lay down a list of what is wrong</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The things you've told him all along</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And pray to God he hears you</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And I pray to God he hears you</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had been during the Accords issue before it all spiralled to hell. The team had wrangled him into the common room and sat him down. Rhodey had been missing during this meeting…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tony, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>the accords are taking our free will away. Why are you agreeing with them?” Steve Rogers questioned, throwing his hands in the air as he looked to the brunet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He would just look back, raising an eyebrow. “The accords are here to make sure we do the right thing. To ensure that we are </span>
  <em>
    <span>accountable </span>
  </em>
  <span>for our actions.” He would argue.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We can still drive with one hand on the wheel, Steve.” Natasha would try to interject, side eyeing the brunet blankly staring at them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No one would trust Stark to drive.” Snarled Wanda under her breath, however some still picked up on it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Steve would run a hand through his blond hair. “Tony. Why don’t you just agree with us? I feel like every time we try to talk about this you start a fight.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I start a fight?” He leaned slightly forwards, defensive suddenly. “I’m the one starting fights? Have you listened to yourself, Cap?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha sighed. They were going to get nowhere.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It is true that both of you seem to start the arguments.” Vision piped up, analyzing the two in a stare down.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Could you just… not be so stuck up and arrogant for once? Jesus, Tony! It’s like bantering with a child!” Steve threw his hands up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Says the child himself.” He would mutter, pushing himself up. He would make a break to leave the room. “One hundred and seventeen countries, Rogers. Remember just exactly what you’re going against.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that a threat?” Snarled Wanda.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No. It’s the facts.” He replied coolly, exiting the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They would later prove he was worthless to them. Natasha letting Rogers and Barnes get away. Rogers lying to him. Rogers nearly killing him with his father’s shield.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was worthless.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Doesn’t play well with others” Well, she was spot on about that one.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe she was spot on about everything else too.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>As he begins to raise his voice</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You lower yours and grant him one last choice</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Drive until you lose the road</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Or break with the ones you've followed</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He will do one of two things</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He will admit to everything</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Or he'll say he's just not the same</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And you'll begin to wonder why you came</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had been weeks since the Siberia incident. He was full force pushing everyone away now. No one could get him to open up, not even FRIDAY.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pepper and Rhodey caught him in the common room of the compound, trapping the brunet to get him to talk to them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a bad move on their part.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing is wrong! Why do you guys keep pestering me?!” He had shouted. The first time he had raised his voice in a while and fear raked its claws over his heart for a brief moment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He was okay. He always would be.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pepper - the one talking as Rhodey looked ready to explode - lowered her voice. “Tony, we’re worried about you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well you can stop worrying. I’m okay, alright?” He glared her down, voice still raised. He was fuming silently. Why wouldn’t they leave him alone on this matter?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Why hadn’t they left him to die in that bunker?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pepper sighed heavily, throwing her hands up and then down to her sides. “Okay, you know what?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” He ordered. “You’re going to leave like them?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If this is how you’re going to act, yes!” Pepper yelled back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve been trying for months.. practically a year now, to get you to open up, Tones.” Rhodey muttered, shaking his head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Like I’ve said an uncountable number of times this past year; I. Am. Okay. Stop asking.” He set his jaw, fists clenched at his sides.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pepper turned on her heel, storming out of the room and into the hallway.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rhodey gave the brunet one last fleeting look before following the blonde out. His braces suddenly so loud in the silence of the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Boss?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>FRIDAY tried.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine, baby girl.” He muttered, watching the two leave.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Leave just like the others.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just like Stephen.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mama always told me don't you run</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Don't you run with scissors, son</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You're gonna hurt someone</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mama told me look before you leap</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Always think before you speak, and watch the friends you keep</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Man did he miss his mother.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shaking his head, he continued to fiddle aimlessly with the project in his hands. His thoughts were all over the place.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Was he the one to hurt Rhodey and Pepper? Maybe he was.. it was better with them safe away from him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were being insistent and they didn’t need to know.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was safer without them knowing anyways. So why burden them with it? There was no need.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No use to.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was worthless, nothing, unlovable, untrustworthy. He didn’t deserve friends.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And he certainly didn’t deserve a family.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Sharp edges have consequences</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I guess that I had to find out for myself</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Sharp edges have consequences</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Now every scar is a story I can tell</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t dare cry out or wince in pain when those thin cuts were streaked along his tanned skin. Crimson blood trickled down his arms like cracks in a pane of glass.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>FRIDAY? She had been turned off momentarily. There was no need for her to accidentally alert someone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nobody should know.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nobody </span>
  <em>
    <span>would</span>
  </em>
  <span> know.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He would wipe the blood off his arms, uncaring if they scarred or not. What were another couple scars to his collection?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Slipping a hoodie over his head, he washed any evidence away and left the bathroom. Heading to go turn FRIDAY back on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She would be suspicious, but nowadays who wasn’t?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t like anybody cared.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Should've played safer from the start</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Loved you like a house of cards</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Let it fall apart</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>But all the things I couldn't understand</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Never could've planned</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>They made me who I am</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There had been an incident in Hong Kong. He had gone to check it out. After all, it was his job.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now he wished he had stayed back at the compound in his lab. Everything was normal now, but it didn’t feel </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Something irked him about how he had been alerted of fire and death and now everything was perfectly normal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>FRIDAY never made mistakes. Atleast, not ones this big.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He flew around the city, inspecting everything. Getting readings of energy signatures. What was so off about this?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Halting mid air, it felt as if the air was punched out of him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Was that..?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, it couldn’t be.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“FRIDAY… facial r- recognition please.” He whispered, never once moving his eyes from the two beings down below. An Asian and…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Facial recognition complete. He is indeed Doctor Strange, boss.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>FRIDAY would reply, almost sounding sad about giving him the information.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No…” He whispered, wanting to shake his head. To scream. To punch the male square in the jaw for leaving him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>But he couldn’t move.</span>
  </em>
  <span> His body had locked up and tears were blurring his vision.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Boss?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>FRIDA inquired in concern.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m okay.” He muttered, blinking tears away. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why wouldn’t he be okay?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The two figures looked up suddenly when the shorter male in red robes pointed at the red and gold armour.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Those greenish blue eyes seemed to be staring into his soul.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He turned midair and kicked the thrusters into full power. Rocketing out of there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He left.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Here we are</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>At the end of the road, a road that's quietly caving in</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Come too far to pretend that we don't, we don't miss where we started</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Looking back, I see a setting sun, and watch my shadow fade into the floor</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I am left standing on the edge</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Wondering how we got this far, (How we got this far)</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tony had ran. He didn’t want to face Stephen. It hurt too much to even think of him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>However it seemed his mind wanted to torment him. Memorizing the male’s face and plaguing him with it in his dreams.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Plaguing his dreams with memories of what they were before.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What they could have been.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And what could have gone so wrong.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now he paced his lab, pulling at his hair. He had tried drinking away his problems, it only made everything so much worse.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Why had he left him? He could have helped.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen pushed him away and he tried his best to keep them together.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Christine was doing her very best. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, Christine.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps it was better that Stephen pushed him away and moved on. Maybe he had moved on. If he had, he wouldn’t blame him. He was not a good partner anyways.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Always so clingy, so needy. So worried, so destructive.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yeah, Stephen did </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>need that in his life.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nobody needed him, anyways.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>So let the world sing</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"What a shame</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What a shame</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Beautiful scars</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>On critical veins"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He stood in front of his mirror, shirt off and exposing his chest and arms. He hadn’t turned FRIDAY off this time. It was better she saw him for who he was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For the very last time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He traced where the Arc Reactor used to be - and was placed again due to Siberia. The lines reached outwards like cracked glass. A lone line reached across his torso, broken by the current Arc Reactor. It was an indent of where the shield had been thrust into his suit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Scars littered his forearms. Some from inventing and working, others from his own doing. They created patterns on his arms, uneven skin raised to the touch. Some were faded, others were newer. A few were open and twinkling with droplets of crimson.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had muted FRIDAY, not wanting to hear her worried replies. He just wanted her to </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pulling a shirt over his head, he gave himself one last glance over.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Beautiful scars on critical veins.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He turned and headed out of the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The very last time he’d be in that room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Here we are at the top of the hill, a hill that's quietly crumbling</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Been a while since you dressed for the kill, the kill that sent me tumbling</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Looking up, I see a falling star, and watch it's fire burn into the floor</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And I am left standing on the edge</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Wondering why we fall so hard, why we fall so hard</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had flown to Malibu using the suit. Might as well end it where it all began.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Afghanistan is where it all really started, but it would take longer to get there. He didn’t need to think everything over. He just needed everything to </span>
  <em>
    <span>be </span>
  </em>
  <span>over.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He stepped out of the suit, shutting it down with a hand motion. Whiskey eyes glanced around where his old house used to be. Treading forwards, he stopped not far from the cliff leading to the rough waters lashing at the cliff side below.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had survived this drop once, and that was only with the suit on.. and because of JARVIS. Oh how he missed JARVIS.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His watch beeped insistently, FRIDAY trying to get him to talk to her. Unclasping the watch, he tossed it into the air and then chucked it off the cliff and into the air. He watched it fall down and hit the rough waters below with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>splash</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The faint sounds of sparks startled him out of his trance of watching the waves below. Whiskey brown eyes shot over to a closing orange circle, a familiar person standing there in navy blue robes and a red… cloak. Cape? Eh, cloak.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He took a smaller step closer to the edge of the cliff, eyes still locked with greenish-blue.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Please don’t.” That familiar baritone sounded so </span>
  <em>
    <span>sad</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The robed - and much taller - male stepped forwards, hands slowly reaching out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” He hissed out, tensing his muscles and looking ready to jump at any moment. The other stopped, raising his hands up in a placating manner.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay.” The baritone voiced male agreed, slowly lowering his hands to his sides. Gaze scanning the male over. His breath hitched at the sight of self harm scars on his wrists. “Tony, please step away from the edge.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A humourless laugh and shake of the head was all he was given. “Why…?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why what?” The salt and pepper haired male inquired softly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why did you leave me, Stephen?” The brunet demanded quietly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tony, I’m sorry I left. I really am. But I needed to find a way to fix my hands.” Stephen replied, keeping his voice level.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Whiskey eyes looked to the sea. “Did you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes and no.” Stephen answered softly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He shook his head, turning his body towards the ocean past the cliff. “I’m sorry, I have to go too.” He whispered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tony, you don’t need to go.” Stephen stepped closer quietly, his heart rate picking up. He couldn’t lose the genius again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I do… I really do.” He replied. “Everyone’s better off without me, Stephen. Even </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> are.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen wildly shook his head. “No, no I’m not better off without you. I’m highly sure the others aren’t either. I’ve missed you endlessly this past year. Please Tony, don’t do this.” He was pleading now, getting ever so slightly closer to the genius.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He laughed humorlessly again, tears clouding his vision as he shook his head. “No. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nobody</span>
  </em>
  <span> needs me.” He blinked, tears falling down his cheeks. His face tinted slightly red as his face heated up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Whiskey brown met with those green-blue eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodbye, Stephen.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He leapt off the cliff.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“NO!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Should've stayed, were there signs, I ignored?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Can I help you, not to hurt, anymore?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>We saw brilliance, when the world, was asleep</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>There are things that we can have, but can't keep</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pepper had called Rhodey and Happy immediately upon getting the alert from FRIDAY.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No… please tell me he’s okay. Please tell me he’s alive!” Rhodey demanded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“FRIDAY said she lost connection with him after he threw his watch off the cliff. He shut her out of the suit as well.” Pepper quietly answered, tears streaming down her face. She hoped her best friend wasn’t dead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Happy paced back and forth. “Is there a way we can get to him quickly?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It takes too long to get from here to Malibu…” Pepper spoke, her voice cracking as she buried her face in her hands.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Boss left his phone at the compound as well…” </span>
  </em>
  <span>FRIDAY was quiet, unsure of herself. She was scared.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were scared and panicking. They didn’t know what to do. They had no way of contacting the brunet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“FRIDAY, please tell me you tried everything?” Rhodey whispered brokenly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I-.. I contacted a last resort. I don’t know if it worked though…” </span>
  </em>
  <span>FRIDAY responded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Who did you contact?” Happy questioned, having slipped dark shades on his face to hide the tears in his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Doctor Strange.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>FRIDAY answered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The reminders pull the floor from your feet</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>In the kitchen, one more chair than you need oh</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And you're angry, and you should be, it's not fair</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Just 'cause you can't see it, doesn't mean it, isn't there</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Doctor Strange? The neurosurgeon who left Tony after his incident?” Rhodey snarled, suddenly finding a better outlet to take his anger out on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Happy’s fists clenched, shaking his head. Why had they left Tony alone? Why hadn’t they stayed? Resisted against him shoving them away?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Why hadn’t they seen the signs?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I remember him perfectly. He was narcissistic, possessive, and an asshole. Egotistical too.” Rhodey ranted, tears still evident in his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yet they were good for each other.” Pepper whispered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Happy looked to the ceiling. Praying to whatever was out there that their best friend was still alive by some miracle.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hopefully Doctor Strange stopped him…” </span>
  </em>
  <span>FRIDAY whispered. She was heartbroken and utterly terrified.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What was she to do without her creator?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What were they all to do without him?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>If they say</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Who cares if one more light goes out?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>In a sky of a million stars</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It flickers, flickers</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Who cares when someone's time runs out?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>If a moment is all we are</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>We're quicker, quicker</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Who cares if one more light goes out?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Well I do</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tony.. please.. please wake up…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Well I do</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ohhh man, I am not sorry for this! Please don’t kill me!</p>
<p>Songs used:</p>
<p>How To Save A Life - The Fray<br/>Sharp Edges - Linkin Park<br/>Kids In The Dark - All Time Low<br/>One More Light - Linkin Park</p>
<p>Have a good day/night! &lt;3</p>
<p>Comments are love!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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